Among this week's questions: Why did you support a $12,000 pay raise for Superintendent Alan Ingram? Watch video
In the latest installment of Ask the Mayor from The Republican, with reporter Peter Goonan and videographer Mark M. Murray:
Opening statements
• 0:00 - Springfield Mayor Domenic J. Sarno opens praising a new anti-youth violence initiative announced by Gov. Deval Patrick. The initiative, as Sarno says, includes toughening gun laws against "gang-bangers."
• 2:00 - Sarno also discusses taking part in Monday's 'Blitz Build', mentioning Springfield's ongoing efforts to "take back our neighborhoods" and knocking down derelict buildings.
Question & answer:
• 2:30 - Why did you support a $12,000 pay raise for school Superintendent Alan Ingram?
Sarno: "It's in his contract, the contract that the financial control board had put together. Dr. Ingram had defferred his last 2 cost of living raises for the past 2 years and the raise was in accordance with other superintendents across the area. More importantly, we have had some pockets of success, but there's obviously more that needs to be done."
• 4:30 - What is the latest news on the city's proposed budget for fiscal year 2012? Has there been progress in reducing the $5.4 million gap? Will you be presenting a budget proposal to the council soon?
Sarno: "I'm going to continue to govern and put across a balanced budget, as I have, that has worked us to get 'A' bond ratings and reserves. Let's face it, in the old days if a mayor did have some reserves, you would blow right through the reserves and worry about it next year. And that's what gets us into fiscal trouble. I'm not going to do that. We've made the tough decisions."
View the video at right to hear Mayor Sarno's complete answers.
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